Natick deputy police chief measure passes State House

Thursday

Aug 21, 2014 at 12:15 AM

By Brian BensonDaily News Staff

NATICK – Lawmakers and Gov. Deval Patrick have approved a home rule petition allowing the deputy police chief position to be exempt from civil service.The bill, approved at the end of the legislative session last month, came about after Town Meeting last year authorized selectmen to seek state legislation exempting the position from the civil service process, which ranks candidates based on exams and other qualifications."I’m following the wishes of Town Meeting and the Board of Selectmen and the (police) chief," said state Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick. "When Town Meeting speaks, it's my job to make sure the bill gets enacted.Natick does not currently have a deputy police chief, though the position has been talked about in recent years’ budget discussions.Police Chief James Hicks has said having a deputy police chief creates a clear second-in-command. The deputy chief could help with disciplinary, administrative and other leadership matters and would not have divided loyalties between unions and overseeing the department that other command staff besides the chief face.Town officials opted not to seek a deputy police chief for the current year as other spending, including adding a police officer, was more pressing, officials have said.The police chief position has already been removed from civil service.Brian Benson can be reached at 508-626-3964 or bbenson@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @bbensonmwdn.